Easter Gifts The Messenger: Kingsville Presbyterian Church, March 2021

The Messenger: Kingsville Presbyterian Church, March
                       2021

                   Easter Gifts

The Gift of Easter Candy (Christmas, Valentines Day, All Year
Around)
How Candy Making Got Started in Kingsville Presbyterian Church, 1960s-1990s
In the 1960s, Sharon, Betty, and I started making candy – hard tack -to put on the
frit plates for the shut-ins.
Everyone liked it so well that the Sunshine Class groups started making it in our
homes following our potluck suppers we had once a month. When it became too
big a project, we got permission to use Fellowship Hall where we continued
making it until 1975. We had lost some of our members and decided we could not
continue any longer. The Sunday school teachers with the help of Francis Blenman,
Judy Talso, and Ruth Fedor made it for a few years.
Then, in 1988, I was asked if I would help if they started making candy again. With
the help of many hands we have been able to donate some money to the church and
to invest in some project for the church.
The money we make is important, for our church needs it, but to me the most
important thing is the fellowship. What else could we do that takes so little time
and work from each of us, makes the church some money, and have so much fun
remembering old times and stories, telling new stories and making memories.
We make candy each Tuesday at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. We welcome anyone who
would like to join us for ½ hour or any hour to two hours. Just bring your sheers!

Love,
Ruth Swanson
May 1994

                                             Reflection on Candy Making, 2000
                                       The Kingsville Presbyterian Church makes
                                       ‘hardtack’ candy from September to
                                       December each year. They use 1,000 pounds
                                       of sugar which with the other ingredients
                                       makes 2,5o00 pounds of a sweet tasting,
                                       sweet smelling product that is eagerly
                                       purchased by their neighbors and friends. The
                                       proceeds are used to do mission work and
special projects for the church. This is my first time to experience that thing called
“CANDY MAKING.” Since that very first day I have been working with the
images that come to me and seeing a theological basis for what we are doing. This
is a partial attempt to share some of my insights with you.
Upon entering the building that first Tuesday morning. I was aware of a spirit of
excitement, fellowship, fun, and commitment. Theologically: It reminded me of
the excitement of the earthly church on Pentecost. There was an air of the presence
of God’s Holy Spirit throughout the entire fellowship hall.
The senses were all engaged immediately especially the sense of smell. Cooking
sugar, anise, cherry, mint, cloves, lemon, butter rum, and others all swirl around
the room and fill al the spaces of the building. Their lingering presence remains
long after the work crews are gone. Theologically: The Psalmist speaks of sweet
incense being offered up to God in praise and adoration.
The first morning and again in the evening (There are always two crews) I was
embraced in sugary arms and touched with loving hands which left a “visible
sing”- in the form of sugary handprints on my shirt. A sign I carried with me back
into the world (I forgot and sat on y couch. The next day a visitor remarked about
the sweet smell that she noticed in my home.) Theologically: This spoke of
Baptism into the family of faith as a ‘visible sign’ and the way it is carried into the
world through our lives.
In the kitchen (the holy of holies) the priests cleanse, prepare, and refine the basic
ingredients. In the crucible of the carefully watched pots, the creation of something

new happens. In the heat of the refiner’s fire, the impurities are removed, and the
NEW thing becomes real. Theologically: Out of nothing and chaos, God created
something new! Also reminded me of references to God at the refiner’s fire
removing the ‘dross’ from our lives.
At a critical point (which the cooks know to a split second) the refining must
STOP. The color and flavor must be stirred in and the NEW THING poured forth
into the platters. Theologically, God refines those whom God calls, adding color,
flavor and texture to our lives so we may witness to others of belonging to that
POT WATCHER GOD who never refines us more than is necessary or more than
we can bear.
Delivered into the world in a molten lava state, the candy is a crystal-clear
reminder of stained glass. It is a liquid hot enough to burn and blister. So soon it
solidifies and becomes immovable and stiff. Theologically: our spiritual journeys
often have moments when we have sensed a refining fire and have moved to a new
level of understanding God’s call to us. We flow through life. Set afire and
wishing to help others understand and see God as we do. Our ardor soon cools and
we soon solidify and stiffen.
But before it can solidify, this wondrous New THING is pulled from the platter a
reminder of the membrane of animal life. It clings to the platter – longing to
remain at rest. But relentless hands (willing to be burned in the process)
Pinch it and pull it into yet another form. A toss into the mountain of sugar and
there begins yet another change of life. Theologically: No birthing process is
without a willingness to risk danger and experience sacrifice. New life always
involves loss as well as hope.
Baptized into the sugary depth, this NEW CREATION undergoes subtle but
inevitable changes. Cooled but not yet hardened. A snip of the scissors and the
process of ‘cutting’ takes place. Theologically: God, the MASTER SCULPTOR,
keeps snipping and chipping away at us making us into new shapes and giving us
new identities.
Now existing in tiny bits lost in the sugary sea, someone arrives with a sifter to
separate the candy from the sugar. Theologically: The Redeemer separates the
sheep from the goats. God sifts through all the stuff of our lives to reclaim the good
that is in us.
The cooling try re-united those of like color and flavor. The individual pieces seem
to form a community have solidarity amidst their alikeness. Theologically: God

calls together those who believe, and the Holy Spirit forms them into communities
of faith.
Another shaking and sifting. More impurities and excess sugar are once again
removed. Theologically: Communities of like color and flavor experience a testing
and strengthening of their faith. God is always refining and re-defining who we
are.
In a surprising semi-final step (in most cases) there is a new form of chaos. More
changes occur as individuals from the separate communities are poured forth once
more into a mixing bowl to blend their colors and voice and their flavors together.
Theologically: All the nations in the world shall worship the GOOD OF ISRAEL
together. Every knee shall bow at the name of JESUS CHRIST.
A kaleidoscope in a bag. A symphony of flavors and aromas – sent forth into the
world to sweeten it with the loves and story of the God who created all there is.
Theologically: May those who have prepared this sweet treat and those who enjoy
eating it be reminded through it that God’s love and message permeate all that
exists. What a witness to God’s love the simple NEW THING could be.
I will end as John ended his Gospel (…there are many other images that could be
shared but they are so many that they would cover the earth. Merry Christmas!!
May Christ reign in your hearts and thoughts forever. May this gift of candy bring
you an awareness of the sweetness of God’s love.
Pastor Bonnie

The Gift of a Lively Church- For Earthly Time
Around 20 years ago our friend, Marilyn Lynch wrote a letter to the saint of the
Kingsville Presbyterian Church.
                The focus of the letter was that she and Bill were returning to
                worship at a church in Cleveland that they had attended when they
                lived there.
                She shared points of the sermon that she found to be important to
                consider. Interestingly, they still apply today.
                Here is what she wrote.
                Now is NOT the time to be deadened by:

1.   Any prior church disputes,
         2.   Concerns over insignificant issues.
         3.   Power struggles between people
         4.   Or, one another’s shortcomings

Now IS the time for us to be a lively church which calls upon all of our gifts and
talents. I can relate to that, can you? He ended with this reference to a lively
church.
A LIVELY church has a lot of “noisy” children and young people. A dead church
is fairly quiet.
A LIVELY church often changes the ways things are done. A dead church doesn’t
have to.
A LIVELY church asks people to open up and risk involvement. A dead church
plays it safe and never takes risks.
A LIVELY church sees challenges and opportunities. A dead church sees problems
and dangers.
A LIVELY church uses its tradition and facilities to serve people. A dead church
uses people to preserve facilities and traditions.
A LIVELY church believes in God’s future and “let’s go” with faith. A dead
church believes in the past and “holds on.”
A LIVELY church dares to dream great dreams for God’s kingdom. A dead church
has nightmares.
Now then, what about our church?
I was also reading a letter that Helen Dekker wrote to the session in 1996 as she
was preparing to end her interim pastorate with us.
She shared how she had enjoyed her time with us and that she found us to be
friendly and welcoming.
She observed that the church was being run by a few people who do too much
work.
She stated the need to provide programs for young people where they have a safe
place to go.

She charged the Deacons with keeping in contact with people. If someone is
missing for a couple of weeks, give them a call and make sure they are OK. “God
gave people to care for people.”
She encouraged the church to try new programs, to follow through with new ideas.
I think her closing words mean so much to us today.
“Well, I just want to say thank you for everything and you can do a wonderful job
is the church will help you get this done. You do have a future, but you’ll have to
work on it. When I come back to visit Kingsville some time, I hope to find the
congregation you really are. There is so much potential in this church, use it.”
I can only express the importance of paying attention to what both of these ladies
shared with us. In both cases it was over 20 years ago but everything still applies
today.
I charge each of you to consider the future of the church and your involvement in
seeing its true potential.

With God’s peace,
Pastor Bill March 2021

The Easter Gift of Eternal Life- For Eternity
                                     A Tomb in a Garden
                                     Someone moves in the tomb,
                                     The wind picks up the folds of a robe and
                                     smooths them
                                     Like a hand on a fevered forehead.
                                     Mary feels the fever of anguish.
                                     The weight of despair heavier than the stone
                                     Rolled away from the tomb.
                                     Darkness forms a doorway question mark,
                                     Where is he? She has to find him.
                                     Someone moves in the tomb!
She sees a misty outline in the doorway The gardener!
He would know the answer.
She pleads, “If you have taken him away, tell me where he is, And I will take him
with me.”
The wind outlines the man’s beard against his face.
Knowing smooths away her anguish leaving outlines of hope.
“Mary.” His voice rings with love and eternity.
“Master!” Her voice rings with love and eternity